narration through non-iconic or symbolic signs. The latter include, for example, all normal (non-onomatopoeic) language. In "told" narratives, such as epics and most novels, the narrating function is assigned to a set of signifiers that are "arbitrary," unanalogous to the actions, characters, or settings they signify. By contrast mimesis, or "showing" is narration through iconic signs. In "shown" stories, such as narrative films, both characters and actions tend to be represented in an iconic or "motivated" fashion. (Chatman, 1990, p. 111-112) Also see mimesis. Also used as a synonym for "storyworld". See storyworld